Golf club heads and methods to manufacture golf club heads

Abstract

Embodiments of golf club heads, golf clubs, and methods to manufacture golf club heads and golf clubs are generally described herein. In one example, a golf club head includes a body portion having a face portion with a face perimeter edge defined by a face toe edge, a face heel edge, a face top edge, and a face sole edge. The face portion includes a first groove portion, a second groove portion, a third groove portion on the back surface of the face portion, and a face perimeter portion between the first groove portion and the face toe edge, between the second groove portion and the face top edge, and between the third groove portion and the face heel edge. The first groove portion is connected to the second groove portion, which is connected to the third groove portion. Other examples and embodiments may be described and claimed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A golf club head comprising:
 a body portion being hollow to define an interior cavity, the body portion comprising a toe portion with a toe portion edge, a heel portion with a heel portion edge, a front portion, a back portion with a back wall portion, a top portion with a top portion edge, and a sole portion with a sole portion edge; 
 a face portion coupled to the front portion to enclose the interior cavity, the face portion comprising:
 a front surface configured to strike a golf ball; 
 a back surface opposite the front surface; 
 a face perimeter edge defined by a face toe edge, a face heel edge, a face top edge, and a face sole edge; 
 a first groove portion on the back surface, the first groove portion located proximate to the face toe edge and extending from a location proximate to the face top edge toward the face sole edge; 
 a second groove portion on the back surface, the second groove portion located proximate to the face top edge and extending between the face toe edge and the face heel edge for at least 50% of a length of the face top edge; 
 a third groove portion on the back surface, the third groove portion located proximate to the face heel edge and extending from a location proximate to the face top edge toward the face sole edge; and 
 a face perimeter portion between the first groove portion and the face toe edge, between the second groove portion and the face top edge, and between the third groove portion and the face heel edge, 
 
 wherein a first thickness of the face portion at the first groove portion, a second thickness of the face portion at the second groove portion, and a third thickness of the face portion at the third groove portion are less than a thickness of the face portion at the face perimeter portion, 
 wherein the first groove portion is connected to the second groove portion, and 
 wherein the second groove portion is connected to the third groove portion. 
 
     
     
       2. A golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first groove portion extends from a location at or proximate to the face top edge to a location at or proximate to the face sole edge for at least 50% of a length of the face toe edge. 
     
     
       3. A golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the second groove portion extends from a location at or proximate to the face toe edge to a location at or proximate to the face heel edge along a path that is similar or substantially similar to a contour of the face top edge. 
     
     
       4. A golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the third groove portion extends from a location at or proximate to the face top edge to a location at or proximate to the face sole edge for at least 50% of a length of the face heel edge. 
     
     
       5. A golf club head as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a mass portion coupled to the body portion, wherein the mass portion comprises a material having a greater density than a material of the body portion. 
     
     
       6. A golf club head as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a filler material in the interior cavity, wherein the first groove portion, the second groove portion, or the third groove portion are at least partially filled with the filler material. 
     
     
       7. A golf club head as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a depth of the first groove portion is greater than or equal to 0.003 inch (0.076 mm) and less than or equal to 0.015 inch (0.381 mm), a depth of the second groove portion is greater than or equal to 0.003 inch (0.076 mm) and less than or equal to 0.015 inch (0.381 mm), and the depth of the third groove portion is greater than or equal to 0.003 inch (0.076 mm) and less than or equal to 0.015 inch (0.381 mm). 
     
     
       8. A golf club head comprising:
 a hollow body portion at least partially filled with a polymer material, the hollow body portion comprising a toe portion with a toe portion edge, a heel portion with a heel portion edge, a front portion, a back portion with a back wall portion, a top portion with a top portion edge, and a sole portion with a sole portion edge; 
 a mass portion coupled to the hollow body portion, the mass portion comprising a material having a greater density than a material of the hollow body portion; 
 a face portion coupled to the front portion, the face portion comprising:
 a front surface configured to strike a golf ball; 
 a back surface opposite the front surface; 
 a face perimeter portion having a face perimeter edge defined by a face toe edge, a face heel edge, a face top edge, and a face sole edge; 
 a first groove portion on the back surface, the first groove portion located proximate to the face toe edge and extending from a location proximate to the face top edge to a location proximate to the face sole edge; 
 a second groove portion on the back surface, the second groove portion located proximate to the face top edge and extending from a location proximate to the face toe edge to a location proximate to the face heel edge; and 
 a third groove portion on the back surface, the third groove portion located proximate to the face heel edge and extending from a location proximate to the face top edge to a location proximate to the face sole edge; 
 wherein the face perimeter portion is between the first groove portion and the face toe edge, between the second groove portion and the face top edge, and between the third groove portion and the face heel edge, 
 
 wherein the first groove portion is connected to the second groove portion, and 
 wherein the second groove portion is connected to the third groove portion. 
 
     
     
       9. A golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first groove portion, the second groove portion, and the third groove portion are at least partially filled with the polymer material. 
     
     
       10. A golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first groove portion, the second groove portion, and the third groove portion define an inverted U-shaped groove on the back surface of the face portion. 
     
     
       11. A golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first groove portion, the second groove portion, and the third groove portion are connected without any sharp corners. 
     
     
       12. A golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the face portion comprises a front groove having a front groove depth, wherein the front groove depth is greater than or equal to a depth of the first groove portion, a depth of the second groove portion, and a depth of the third groove portion. 
     
     
       13. A golf club head as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the first groove portion, the second groove portion, and the third groove portion are filled with the polymer material, and wherein the polymer material structurally supports the face portion at the first groove portion, the second groove portion, and the third groove portion. 
     
     
       14. A golf club head comprising:
 a body portion being hollow to define an interior cavity, the body portion comprising a toe portion with a toe portion edge, a heel portion with a heel portion edge, a front portion, a back portion with a back wall portion, a top portion with a top portion edge, and a sole portion with a sole portion edge; 
 a filler material in the interior cavity; 
 a face portion coupled to the front portion to enclose the interior cavity, the face portion comprising:
 a front surface configured to strike a golf ball; 
 a back surface opposite the front surface; 
 a front groove on the front surface, each front groove having a front groove depth; 
 a face perimeter portion having a face perimeter edge defined by a face toe edge, a face heel edge, a face top edge, and a face sole edge; 
 a face groove on the back surface surrounded by the face perimeter portion, the face groove having at least three connected groove portions, each of the at least three connected groove portions being proximate to at least one of the face toe edge, the face heel edge, the face top edge, or the face sole edge of the face perimeter portion; 
 a first thickness of the face portion defined by a distance between the front surface and the back surface; 
 a second thickness of the face portion defined by a distance between the front surface and a bottom of the face groove; 
 a third thickness of the face portion defined by a distance between a bottom of the front groove and the back surface; and 
 a fourth thickness of the face portion defined by a distance between the bottom of the face groove and the bottom of the front groove, 
 
 wherein each of the at least three connected groove portions is at least partially filled with the filler material, 
 wherein the second thickness is less than the first thickness, 
 wherein the second thickness is less than or equal to the third thickness, and 
 wherein the fourth thickness is less than the second thickness and less than the third thickness. 
 
     
     
       15. A golf club head as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the filler material is an elastic polymer material. 
     
     
       16. A golf club head as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the at least three connected groove portions are connected without any sharp corners. 
     
     
       17. A golf club head as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the at least three connected groove portions include a first groove portion extending proximate to the face toe edge, a second groove portion extending proximate to the face top edge, and a third groove portion extending proximate to the face heel edge. 
     
     
       18. A golf club head as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the at least three connected groove portions include a first groove portion extending proximate to the face toe edge, a second groove portion extending proximate to the face top edge in a same direction as the face top edge, and a third groove portion extending proximate to the face heel edge in a same direction as the face heel edge. 
     
     
       19. A golf club head as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the face groove comprises a depth measured in a direction from the back surface of the face portion toward the front surface of the face portion, and wherein the depth of the face groove is greater than or equal to 0.003 inch (0.076 mm) and less than or equal to 0.015 inch (0.381 mm). 
     
     
       20. A golf club head as defined in  claim 14 , wherein the face groove extends adjacent to at least 50% of a length of the face perimeter portion.